Feeding mechanism for sewing-machines.



0.551330. Patenfed June l9; I900. F. w. osmom. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Mar. 3, 18 98.)

'3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

w m d" 2 I I .to m no E? [mamm IE? 1 s Q v @i W W 2 w 5mg b Bygf No. 65|,930. Patented June 19', I900.

' F. W. OSTROM.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Mar. 3, 189B.)

3 Sheets Sheet 2-.

in Model.)

Inventor lgz'tnesses Attorneys N0. 65!,930. v Patented June l9, I900.

F. W. OSTROM. V FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Mar. 3, 1898.)

(No Model.)

3 sheets sheet 3.

Invento ww Attorneys.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

FREELAND WV. OSTROM, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,930, dated June 19, 1900. Application filed March 3,1898. Serial No. 672,366. (No model.)

To all whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that-I, FREELAND W. OSTROM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to sewing-machines preferably of that class known as variety-stitch machines. In the present instance, however, I have embodied my improv'ements in that form of Wheeler & Wilson machine known in the market to-day as a' hemstitch-machine, the general construction of which is shown and described in United States Letters Patent to G.H.Dimond,assignor to the Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company, No.-179,f739, granted July 26,1892. The machine described in the Dimond patent referred to is a so-called variety-stitch machine, the particular formof stitch being dependent upon the form of the grooves in the pattern-cams.

Myinvention consists in improved mechanism to control the feed movements.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a well-known WVheeler 85 Wilson hemstitch-machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is an under side View of the bed-plate and working parts connected therewith: Fig. 3 is a skeletonized or dottedline perspective of the bed-plate of the machine and a portion of the attached operative mechanism,showing in full lines those parts of the feed mechanism to which my improved devices for the control of said feed have been applied. It also shows in full lines the usual needlecarriermeedle,piercer-carrier, piercer, and former, to which reference will be hereinafter made. Fig. 4 is a detail, partly in section, of the pattern-cam, showing its connection with the pinion on the main shaft. Fig. 5 is a broken detail showing in full lines the throat-plate, the feed-points, the needlecarrier, partly broken away, with its needle in full and dotted line position, the piercercarrier, partly broken away, the piercer, and former, all of which will be referred to later on. Fig. 6 is a'detail showing a th read-leader in operative position.witlf'relation to the throat-plate'and needle. Fig. 7is a perspective of the thread-leader to more fully indicate its construction. Fig. Sis a diagram int-ended to show the relative action of the needle and feed movements in the operation of the machine. Fig. 9 is a perspective of the loop-taker.

The bed-plate A, the overhanging arm A, head A needle-bar A, needle A presserbar A, take-up B under crank-shaft B, connected by links B B with the needle-bar-actnating shaft located in the overhanging arm, the gears a a a the loop-taker guide a the loop-taker a, the feed-bar 0, having the feedpoints 0', the rock-shaft b to raise and lower the feed-bar, the reciprocating rock-shaft D, having an arm D, the pivoted connection D and link D jointed to it and extended up and connected to the feed-regulating lever D the slide-block D mounted upon a stud D of the connection D and extended into the curved guideway-segment D fast on a short shaft D mounted in bearings D, needle-bar frame C connecting-rod 0 provided at its rear end with an adj usting-block Oflconnected to the link by suitable screws extended through slots in the block and into the said connecting-rod, the block or end piece 0 which receives a screw 12, the opposite end 'of which carries a shoe or block mounted loosely thereon, which shoe or block enters the slot 13 in the vibrating segment E, having near its upper end a laterally extended shaft which is fitted into a suitable bearing mounted upon the top of the overhanging arm, so'that the said segment may be swung -or vibrated, the screw 12, having applied to it a th umb-nnt 14, which when loosened enables the shoe to be raised or lowered in the groove of the segmental arm, the rotation of the thumb-nut in the opposite direction securing the shoe in adjusted position, the adjustment of the shoe altering the extent of the lateral throw imparted to the needle bar frame by or through the segment, the segment E, which has at its lower end a roller or other stud d, which is acted upon by a pattern-cam 40, employed to control, the intermitting movements of the needle-bar frame, the arm f, provided with a suitable roller or other stud f, actuated by the pattern -cam controlling the feed movement, herein represented by a cam having a groove as, (see Fig.

ICO

4,) which is entered by the said roller orother stud f, the said cam-groove being in a wheel f toothed on its periphery and engaged by a pinionf, fast on the shaft B,,the patterncam last described being geared to the lower shaft one tothree, so asto cause the rotation of ,the pattern-cam once during each three rotations of the under shaft, the said patterncam in the first instance having three throwpoints whereby consequently the feed-bar is moved to eflfect the feed of the cloth once for each stitch, it being understood thatas long as the roller or other stud referred to is traveling in the parts of the cam-groove f which are substantially circular the radius-bar D is not vibrated to cause the feed to move the material longitudinally, but that assoon as the roller or other stud approaches the eccentric portions of the pattern-cam groove then'the segment D is vibrated to movethe feed-bar and cause it to move the material in the direction in which the feed-bar is moved after being raised in contact with the cloth, the face-plate g, the lever g, and presser-footlifting lever 34. All the foregoing parts, with their described operations and functions, are substantially the same as the like-lettered parts shown and described in the above-men tioned Dimond patent, No. 479,739, to which reference may be made, excepting that the groove 00 in the pattern-cam f is in the present instance, as has been pointed out, formed to: elfect the feed necessary to produce the stitching represented by the diagram Fig. 8, the'groove in the pattern -cam 40, located in the overhanging arm for effecting the throw or vibration of the needle-bar-carrying gate 0 being formed to eifect, in cooperation' with the feed movement, the stitching before referred to, as represented by Fig. 8. It is pointed out in the Dimond patent that the pattern-cams may be changed or varied to provide various stitch designs, andin this ins-tance'the pattern-cam grooves have been soformed as to effect the stitch design shown in Fig. 8. l The Dimond patent shows apresserfoot A common to the ordinary sewing-machine, while in the present instance the presser-foot 20 is that usually employed in hemstitching. Further, in the present in stance'the oscillation of the rock-shaft b for controlling the vertical movements of the feed-points O'into and out of operative relation'ship with the material to be stitched is controlledby a cam h, mounted upon the pattern-.cam-car-rying shaft h. The lever h mounted upon the rock-shaft b, carries at one end a suitable stud 71 carrying a roller, (not the lateral Vibrations of the needlehas two throw-points and is so speededthat it rotates once while the needle-actuating shaft rotates three times for the formation of three lock.- stitches, and the pattern for controlling the feeding movement has, as shown, three throw-points and is speeded or rotated once to each three movements of the hook-driving shaft, which imparts motion to the feed-bar. The pattern device controlling the needles vibration and feed movement of the material is consequently soarranged that it=controls a three-stitch figure.

' In the production of athree-stitch figure such as is necessary for producing a hemstitch the grooves in the pattern-cams are formed so that the needle makes, first, a movement to the right'while the material is advanced one feed movement, and, second,to the left while the material is again advanced one feed movement, andduring the succeeding feed movement, which is in'the opposite direction or toward the operator, the needle remains in the same vertical alinement until after the completion of the feed movement, when the needle is caused to descend and forms the completing stitch necessary to form the hemstitch.

Referring to the diagram represented by Fig. 8 and following the arrows numbered, consecutively, from 1 to 15, the feed and needle movement will be easily understood.

The object of my improvements-namely, the improvements in the feed mechanismis to more accurately control the movement of the material in opposite directions.

Referring to Fig. 8, it will be understood that to properly form a hemstitch-figure it is necessary that the needle pierce'the-material a second time in the same place and after there have been two feed movements, and consequently after there have been two descents of the needle-bar,,two feed movements forward, and one in the oppositedirection, and that any variation of the feed movement of thematerialin either direction will prevent the needle from entering the same puncture a second time, and consequently the sewingthreads fail to bind in all of the warp or filling threads of the material and effect an open hemstitch such as is represented by Fig. 9,

and my invention insures an equal feed ot to the rocker-shaft'D and-to depend upon a perfect construction and correct adjustment in embodied'the pattern-cam Ior cont-rolling of the machine to efiect a posltive feed motion in opposite directions; but in practice it has been found impracticable to maintain such accurate construction and nicety of adjustment, and to remedy this difficulty I have provided the rocker-shaft D with a yoke k adjustably secured by the bolt 72,8, and provided said yoke with springs h h which at their upper ends bear against the roller '5, mounted on the arm h of the lever h the yoke 7L7 being provided with an extension 11 to hold the lever 7f in its adjusted position on the shaft. The object of this form of construction is to control by a yielding connection the movement of the feed-bar O and feed-points 0, carried by it.

It will be observed that without referring to the stop-screws i i the movement of the feed-bar 0 would depend upon the adjustment of the slide D in the segment D and without considering imperfect construction or lost motion the movement of the feed-bar 0 would be equal in opposite directions and in distance regulated by the position of the slide 1) in the segment D Referring to 'Fig. 1, I have provided the arm 7L4 of the lever 71 with a stop-screw "6 which through the oscillating movement of the lever h is caused to contact with the base-plate of the sewing-machine, and in the base-plate I have provided a stop-screw 2', against which the lever h on its opposite throw is caused to contact. By this construction of parts I am enabled to get a positive and determinate feed of the material in both directions and in the following manner, to wit: first I adjust the stop-screws 2' t to suit the required feed, and then I adjust the block D to get an excess of feed, and thereafter in the operation of the mechanism the springs 71 71 take up or hold the excess of feed, as will be readily understood.

In the use of hemstitch-machines it has been common for years to employ one or more piercers operating in advance of the needle to pierce or puncture the goods, into which punctures the needle is intended to subsequently enter in the production of a hemstitch. These piercers have been usually mounted in a bar independent of the needle-carrier, and have operated to pierce the material in the same alinement,while the needle pierces the material in different alinements. I employ in combination with the usual needle a piercer operating in advance of the needle to provide punctures in the material into which the needle is to subsequently enter and also a former operating in rear of the needle, the design of which latter is twofold: first, to reopen the puncture previously made and thereafter more or less closed in the operation of the needle, the tension, &c., so as to provide by such reopening a clear path for the descent of the needle into that puncture in completing the necessary stitching operation in making the hemstitch figure, and, secondly, after the last entrance into that puncture of the needle to again reopen and clearly define the form of the opening or puncture by a-last entrance intothat puncture of the former succeeding the last entrance into that puncture of the needle, so as to leave a sharply-defined, properly-outlined opening in the formation of the hemstitch-figure. By this dual operation of the former, succeeding in operation the use and functions of the piercer and of the needle, no

loose or ungathered Warp or filling threads are left in the hemstitch-figure, nor are any of the desired or designed openings of the hemstitch-figure more or less partially closed or disfigured in design or proportion in reference to others of the hemstitch design or figure. To effect this result, there must be the cooperation of a piercer to operate in advance of the needle, the operations of the needle itself, and a former to operate in rear of the needle. Mechanism for the efiiectuation of this result is shown herein as follows: Mounted in the face-plate got the overhanging arm A is a piercer-bar j, provided at its upper end with a collarj having an extension 7' the latter extending through ahole in the upper end of the needle-bar A, permitting the needle'bar to vibrate in opposite directions and at the same time give to the piercer-bar a vertical movement in opposite directions. Secured to the lower end of the piercer-barj is a clamp j, provided with adjustable holdingclamps 7' j, the latter located in the rear of the needle and the forinerj in advance or in front of the needle. In the clamp is secured the piercerf, and in the clamp j is secured the former j ating the former j in conjunction with the piercer 7' the needles descent, when caused to descend for the formation of a lock-stitch in alinement with the piercer and former, is next subsequent to either the action of the piercer or the former, according to the feed of the material in one or the other direction.

Referring to Fig. 8, supposing the needle to be puncturingthe material at k, the former at and the piercer at W, the succeeding feed movement would be in the direction of the arrow V and the movement of the needle in the direction of-the arrow U, and the next subsequent relative positions of the needle,

piercer, and former would be the former would pierce the material at 70 the needle at 10 and the piercer at 70 Succeeding this would be a feed movement in the direction of the arrow T, which would cause the needle to descend at it the former at 70, and the piercer at 10 followed by a feed movement in the direction of the arrow V, which would cause the needle to descend at 70 the former at 70 and the piercer at 70 and so on in succession, insuring a puncturing of the material by either the piercer or the former just precedent to the needles entering the material in the same alinement.

By oper- To better adapt a hemstitch-machine to the V l street over and around the bobbin.

demands of the'market to-day in the productionof 'sharp,clean', unsoiled hemstit'ch-work,

I have provided a notched thread-leader M, located in vclose proximity to the rotating loop-taker a and attached to the loop-taker guideway. a by the screw m. and 7.) r

Referring to'Fi'g. 9, it is shown that the rim of the rotating loop-taker, that portion which rides in the recess of the loop-taker guide, is constructed much thinner than the more central portion. It will be observed that the back of the loop-taker is rounded out and that upon the front of the loop-taker is a beveled or oast-ofi portion to lead the needle-thread For a considerable portion of the rotation of the looptaker after the point of the loop-taker has entered the loop of the upper thread to carryit around the bobbin neither the cast-01f portion of the loop-taker nor the swell constitut ing the back portion of the loop-taker affects the leading of the upper thread, and the tend ency of the upper thread is to ride on each side of the rim of the rotating loop-taker; This contact with the loop-taker blackens or (See Figs. 6

' soils the thread prior to the action of the castoif or bulging portion of the hook.

The thread-leader M is supplied to lead the thread in opposite directions and away from the rim of the loop-taker during the initial portion of the rotation of said 1oop-takerthat is, prior to the action of the cast-off or bulging portion of the book. With the ordinary construction, such as is represented by the drawings, the thread-leader M controls the position of the upper thread for about one-third of the complete rotation of the looptaker, which one-third rotation I term herein the initial portion of the rotation.

--;What'I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming mechanism comprising a cloth-feeding device and actuating mechanism therefor, said feeding device employing a feed-dog mounted below the cloth-plate of the sewing-machine and constructed to cooperate with a suitable cloth-presser mounted in theoverhanging arm, a yielding connection between the feeddog of the cloth feeding device and said actuating mechanism, and stops to control the yieldingly-actuated movements of thefeeddog and thus limit the throw of the'feed-dog to correspond with the predetermined spacing between stitches, substantially as described.

2. In a sewing-machine, a stitch-forming mechanism comprising a cloth-feeding device and actuating mechanism therefor, said feeding device employing a feed-dog mounted below the cloth-plate of the sewing-machine and constructed to cooperate with a suitable clotli-presser mounted in the overhanging arm, a yielding connection between'the feeddog of the cloth-feeding device and said actuating mechanism, means for adjusting the throw of the actuating mechanism and stops to control the yieldingly-actuated movements of the'cloth-feeding device and thus limit the throw of the feed-dog to correspond with the predetermined spacing between the stitches, substantially as described.

Signed by 'me at Bridgeport, Connecticut, this 28th day of February, 1898.

FREELAND W. OSTROM.

Witnesses:

- NATHAN P0011,

E. I. VAN HORN. 

